


Claustrophobic

by krisherdown



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Elevatorstuck, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-04
Updated: 2009-08-04
Packaged: 2017-12-10 16:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/788145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roger wishes he was anywhere else, with anyone else, but stuck in an elevator with Andy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Claustrophobic

**Author's Note:**

> Request from [pierrefan1981](http://pierrefan1981.livejournal.com/profile) . Takes place after 2008 US Open final.

Roger Federer is supposedly a player with no fear. It's part of the mystique - you can throw anything his way and it doesn't matter. Can't faze him. Not even the prospect of facing Nadal can accomplish that - Roger sees that one as a challenge he's had trouble conquering.

Well, there is one thing and not even Rafa knows about this little trick. It seems so silly but it is his fear of elevators.

Now of course he's in elevators all the time but he cannot be alone in one. If he's able to grab onto Mirka's hand or get his mind off where he is by engaging in a too-spirited conversation with someone else, no problem. It's when none of that is possible that there are issues.

That's what happens as he's leaving the hotel he's staying at for the US Open. Everyone is dealing with luggage and he gets distracted when a fan stops him for an autograph, leaving him alone in the other elevator. Mirka immediately calls him on the cell, telling him to get off on the next floor and she'll meet up there if he can't handle the trip. Roger notices from the beeping that the battery on his phone is near dead. He disconnects the call, hoping the battery will last long enough.

He looks up at what floor it's on and quickly presses the next floor's button. It's a relief when he sees the doors open immediately. Not so much when he hears a voice calling out, "Hold the doors!"

Roger looks up and it's Andy lining up a bunch of suitcases, ready to load in. Nobody else is standing there, which seems odd.

Andy snaps, "Instead of gawking, help me load this stuff. You'll get down to the lobby a lot faster." It isn't until he starts moving the first suitcase that he realizes it's Roger in the elevator; he mutters an apology under his breath regarding his rudeness.

Roger forgets for a moment that he is supposed to exit the elevator right here, or that he just beat this guy in the final the day before. Or that he really, really doesn't want to be alone in an elevator with Andy Murray. The nice guy in him takes over as he moves the luggage. "Don't you have an entourage to do this?"

"Lost a forfeit. This was the penalty. Carry everyone else's luggage." After they get the last piece in, Andy absently presses the button for the lobby floor, not noticing it wasn't lit before. Roger tries to get past the luggage but the doors shut before he has a chance to reach the panel to stop them.

Andy watches Roger with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." He cannot let on what's wrong. If there's one person who really cannot know, it's Andy. He has had enough moments of weakness every time he's lost to Andy in matches. Sure, the day before was a different story but he believes Andy will be studying hard to make sure he doesn't lose the next time.

Andy sits on the handle of one of the larger pieces of luggage, knowing there are about thirty floors to go. Roger quickly calls Mirka, needing to hear her voice in this moment of need.

"Rog? Which floor are you on? I'm waiting for the next elevator right now."

"I don't know. I wasn't able to..."

"What? I can't hear you. What floor are you on?"

Andy glances at Roger on the phone, not so much interested in the conversation as watching out of boredom. Nonetheless, Roger can't figure out what to say. "Mirka, please just stay on the line."

"What? Roger, if you can hear me, just stay calm. Deep breaths."

There's a sudden jolt and the elevator is jumpy as it tries to go from the thirty-first to the thirtieth floor. Roger grabs onto the rail, the phone falling out of his hand and hitting the floor with a loud crack. Then the elevator stops moving and the lights dim.

"What the hell?" Andy says regarding the broken phone, then looks around. "I hope those guys aren't pulling a fast one on me. It would be just like them to trap me in an elevator."

Roger says too quickly, "Well, call them and get it unstuck."

"Yeah, it wouldn't go over so well to have the Great One stuck in an elevator and miss his private jet." Andy looks for his jacket, sure that he'd tied it to one of the handles of luggage. But he doesn't see that particular piece or the jacket. "Okay, now I _know_ they set me up. There's one missing and _they_ have it!" Andy presses the emergency button then lets out an annoyed sigh as he waits for a reply.

While this is going on, Roger slumps down to the floor, the pieces of the phone next to him. He's trying to breathe properly but the counting is making the breaths uneasy. One, two, three, four.

"Well, either your people or my people will see we're not there and call for help. Mirka is downstairs, right?"

Roger nods, afraid to speak at this point as he's concentrating on the breathing, to lessening success.

"Okay, that's good. Why isn't anyone responding?" Andy rolls his eyes then notices what Roger is doing and his tone changes, not quite as annoyed but still a bit sarcastic. "Are you okay? It's just a phone."

The suitcases are at least as high as Roger from his position and they feel like they're closing in. One, two, three, four. Breathe. One, two, three, four. Breathe. Roger is muttering under his breath, "Mirka, please," as he's tapping the beat against his knee with his hand. The beat is speeding up as he's doing this and the sweat dripping down is not entirely caused by the heat that's filling the elevator.

Andy stops joking, realizing they have a serious problem. He says, "We'll be okay. There will be help shortly."

Roger shuts his eyes, able to hear Andy sounding confident, and wishing he didn't have to deal with this right now. "It's closing in. I can't get out."

Andy moves the suitcases closest to Roger on top of another suitcase and sits down next to him on the floor. "I don't really know what to do. I never thought I'd see you afraid of anything, much less this. I figured it would be snakes, you know like Indiana Jones, but it's not as if you frequently have to deal with that one unless you're either in the wilderness or Slash's house."

Roger furrows his brow at the last remark. "What? Who's Slash?" He opens his eyes to look inquisitively at Andy.

"He was the guitarist for Guns N Roses." Andy lets out a sigh of relief that this silly stream of words is helping Roger. "But the point is, easy enough to avoid that particular phobia. I suppose it could be worse. A tennis player with a fear of flying would not be able to become elite. Even though some of the Europeans try to avoid the States for any tournament outside the US Open, so maybe it can be negotiated."

"You're rambling."

"Yeah, well, I have a tennis god with anxiety issues. Tough not to catch it."

Roger notices Andy has stopped facing him, instead looking straight ahead. "Are you afraid of _me_? That would be intriguing since you aren't that way when we play. Even if you looked a bit nervous yesterday."

"You wish. There are enough players who _are_ afraid of you on the court. I just wasn't quite ready for what happened yesterday."

Roger's hand is not moving anymore and his breathing has evened out. Though it seems the tapping against the knee has transferred from Roger to Andy. "You _are_ nervous right now. The elevator is getting to you too?"

Andy shakes his head but his voice is soft when he answers, "No, _you_ are getting to me."

Without thinking, Roger drops his hand on top of Andy's. Andy looks Roger's way, his face etched with confusion as he's not entirely sure what to do now.

The decision becomes clear when the lights brighten, there's the sound of motors and then everything shuts down again. Roger backs away into the corner, his voice loud as he says, "We're going to plummet! The cables will break and..."

He's quieted by Andy pulling on Roger's arm and attacking his mouth with a kiss. Roger grabs onto Andy's shirt as if he's drowning, shuts his eyes and urgently kisses back. He murmurs against Andy's mouth, "Please don't let go."

"I won't," anything else more muffled by Roger biting on Andy's lip. Andy runs a hand along Roger's neck, trying to relax him even though he doesn't want to end this moment.

Roger pushes Andy against the wall, his weight partially resting on Andy's thigh. Andy moves his hands along Roger's back, sweat clinging his shirt against his skin. It allows for more of a rhythm at this fast pace, which is good as Roger is desperately trying to rid them both of fabric but is fumbling with the buttons due to the sweat and his frayed nerves.

The lights turn back on and the motors are running again. A voice comes over the speaker. "Everyone okay? We should have you down in a few minutes."

"Okay," both guys say at the same time. Roger backs away until he's against the suitcase, shaking his head. He can't quite figure out what has happened, it feeling like a figment of his imagination. There is no part of him that can process kissing his rival, having him look debauched as he's staring back wide-eyed.

"Roger, can we just..."

"Don't tell anyone about the fear of elevators. Everyone may trap me in one as a form of strategy."

Andy nods hastily. "I won't. This didn't happen. Never again." He stands up, trying to straighten his clothes and not face Roger.

At that point, the elevator starts its descent to the next floor. Roger stays seated on the ground, feeling safer there than to get up and worry about his footing. He feels completely unsteady but doubts it's about the elevator anymore.

When the doors open, Roger is immediately greeted by a tight hug from Mirka. She then steps back to assess the situation. "You look better than I thought you would."

Andy is hanging back, dealing with the suitcases so he can transfer to the other elevator. Mirka notices him and raises an eyebrow. "How did he... are you okay?"

Roger nods but is watching Andy the whole time. "Don't worry. I survived this."

What he doesn't say is that he wouldn't mind being stuck somewhere alone with Andy again.

That thought scares him more than the elevator.


End file.
